With over two-thirds of motorists across Northern Ireland and the wider UK now going online to buy insurance, new guidance has been published to help them identify the right car, van or motorbike policy for their needs.

The "good practice guide" has been produced by industry body the Association of British Insurers (ABI), which developed it with the help of consumer experts Which? and a selection of leading car insurance comparison sites.

Commenting on the guide, Nick Starling, director of general insurance and health at the ABI, acknowledged that using the internet can help Northern Ireland car insurance customers obtain "the best policy at the most competitive price".

"But the ease and speed of going online must be balanced with ensuring that people understand the terms, conditions and cover of the policies they are comparing," he noted.

Some of the areas covered by the guidance include help for car insurance customers with reviewing key features of a particular policy, clarifying what features are being sold as add-ons and understanding the level of any voluntary or compulsory excess. A referrals section directs customers who have been refused a quote to possible alternative sources of help, such as specialist providers.

Three Top Gear fans in Northern Ireland have managed to sail to Scotland in their modified vehicle – and avoided needing to make an expensive car insurance claim in the process.

Inspired by the BBC motoring show, Bangor resident Peter Martin adapted a £100 Renault Laguna using foam, an outboard motor and a bilge pump (for removing water).

Before heading off on the 23-mile, seven-hour trip across the Irish Sea in the modified car, the 38-year-old completed trial voyages off the Copeland Islands with friends Carl McConkey, Rick Miles and Mark Farrell.

The Belfast Metropolitan College lecturer told reporters that 12-foot waves, persistent vomiting and constant leaking through the car's accelerator and clutch did not put the team off completing the trip from Donaghadee to Portpatrick harbour.

"One of the lads kept saying 'everybody here has Scottish accents – we've actually sailed to Scotland in a Renault Laguna'," he quipped. "We're all really tired, but obviously we're elated too … This just proves what you can do when you put your mind to it."

The Renault Laguna – named Sir Tristram, after a naval landing ship – will now be auctioned to raise funds for an armed services charity.

Car insurance customers in Northern Ireland and the wider UK lodge more claims for accidental damage in winter than any other season.

Research by car insurance provider Saga also reveals that a large proportion of motorists in Northern Ireland and the rest of the country are worried about driving in the dark when clocks go back at the weekend.

More than 2,000 adults were polled, a fifth of whom admit to driving less during winter in an attempt to avoid the dark. A similar proportion choose to shop online rather than venture out in the winter evenings.

Saga Group's executive chairman, Andrew Goodsell, remarked that hitting the road in the dark "is clearly a worry" for a significant number of motorists in Northern Ireland.

Turning specifically to motorists over the age of 50, the car insurance firm's spokesperson continued: "Our research shows the over-50s use their experience to adapt their driving to reflect conditions on the road and, as you would expect, have fewer accidents than other age groups."

Some of the reasons given by motorists for avoiding driving in the dark include "being blinded by other people's lights" and not being able to judge distance properly.